It's A Small World After All
by tricky
Summary: COMPLETE! Pacey moved away before senior year and lost contact with everyone in Capeside. Now, he just happens to be starting at the same college as Joey is. Of course they both have unresolved issues, and maybe even feelings.
1. Brunette

It's A Small World After All Author's Note:   
I'm a die hard PJ fan, Dawson is a dork and he should be kicked off the show. Now that I've got that out of my system, some of these characters are mine and some of them aren't. I'm jsut borrowing them, and I haven't got a dollar right now much less ten cents. So don't go suing me or anything because all you'll get is my computer, some clothes and a few video tapes.   
Please read and enjoy, and review if you feel so inclined. And also check out my other stories and see how you like them.   
Thanks ~ Krista   
  


> Joey Potter climbed out of Bessie's truck and stared up at Brooks Hall, her home for the next few months. She took a deep breath and walked around to the back of the truck to help unload her things. 
> 
> "Let's get you unpacked," Bessie said as she opened the back and began placing boxes on the ground. 
> 
> A tall dark haired boy in a fraternity shirt came up to the two sisters, "Excuse me ladies, may I be of some help? A bunch of the guys are helping carry luggage. I'm Kurt."   

> 
> Joey was silent due to the ball of nerves in her stomach so Bessie spoke up, "Thanks a lot Kurt. My sister here is staying on the third floor." 
> 
> Kurt grabbed more boxes than Bessie thought humanly possible and followed Joey and Bessie in to the building. 
> 
> "This is it, room 212," Joey said as she put her new key in to the lock. She swung the door open and allowed Kurt and Bessie to enter before her. The room was empty except for furniture, two beds, two desks, and two dressers. They set all the boxes down on the bed and surveyed the room. 
> 
> "Thanks for your help," Joey told Kurt as he walked towards the door. He nodded and closed the door behind him. 
> 
> Bessie sat down on the empty bed, "Are you happy Jo?" 
> 
> "That's the third time you've asked me that since we left the house this morning." Joey sighed, "Of course I am Bess. This is what I want." 
> 
> "I'm just checking. You know that you can come home whenever you want okay. Just call me and I'll come out and get you." 
> 
> "I know." 
> 
> "Do you want me to stay and help you unpack?" Bessie asked. 
> 
> Joey thought about it, "No I think I'd like to do it on my own. You've got to get going anyway." 
> 
> "Okay I get it. I'll get out of your hair." 
> 
> Their goodbye seemed to take forever. Joey closed the door after Bessie had left and went to the window to see her drive away. It all seemed like so much to take in. She was living on her own away from home for the first time. She walked away from the window and went and sat on the empty bed. 
> 
> She wasn't unhappy, this was a big step and Joey was proud of herself. It hadn't been her dream to attend school in Massachusetts but UMASS at Amherst had offered the most scholarship money and at least it was out of Capeside. 
> 
> Dawson had been in New York City since July. She hadn't heard from him, not that she minded, they had grown apart during their senior year. They'd lost the closeness. Joey was sure that the city would eat him alive, even after his experience in Philadelphia. 
> 
> Andie was as expected happily starting fresh at an Ivy League school paid, for by her daddy. Jack had already been gone for a year, attending Berkley. Strangely enough, Joey didn't miss either of them. Actually she'd never been good friends with Andie but she had learned to live with out Jack. 
> 
> Jen was at that moment probably drinking espresso in Paris or backpacking in Switzerland. She was taking a year off to 'find herself'. Joey thought it was just the sort of thing Jen would do to further enrage her parents. 
> 
> Pacey was ... Pacey was hopefully starting college or university just like Joey. The sad thing was that she had no idea where. In the middle of their junior year, Pacey's parents had divorced.With no custody battle whatsoever, his mother took all the children and moved away to Maine. oey hadn't seen him in what felt like forever. She hadn't heard from him in a long time either. They had both lost touch in the beginning of their senior year. She had no idea where Pacey was and she hated it. They had gotten closer after everything with her and Dawson. When Pacey and Andie had broken up Joey had been the only one there for him. 
> 
> **   
  

> 
> _"Well, a funny thing happened. I got in Dawson's rowboat and it magically drifted to your dock," Pacey said as he floated towards her on the dock._
> 
> _Joey threatened him, "Magically drift any closer and I'll kill you."_
> 
> _"I almost believe that," he tied up the boat and sat down beside her._
> 
> _"He told you, didn't he? Didn't he?"_
> 
> _"What do you think?"_
> 
> _"I think I hate you both," Joey sighed quietly._
> 
> _"You're gonna hate what I'm going to say even more. He did the best thing, Joey. You two need to be apart now."_
> 
> _"Of all the people to see me like this, it had to be you," she said a few minutes later._
> 
> _"It's a new year, Joey. You never know, we could even end up friends."_
> 
> _"Pacey, I'm upset enough as it is," she managed to reply._
> 
> _He simply smiled and pulled her closer, "Hey Potter. Come here." Joey leaned against him and began to cry._
> 
> ** 
> 
> Joey mentally berated herself for dwelling on the 'Pacey matter' and ordered her self to begin unpacking. She stood in the middle of the room and decided which bed she wanted and then she started unpacking books, clothes and pictures. 
> 
> Joey was tucking sheets underneath her mattress when a girl walked in to the room. "Hey what's up? I'm Emily Greer. I'm pretty sure we're roommates." The girl placed a box on the empty bed and watched as three frat boys carried in the rest of her things. 
> 
> Joey sized the girl up, she was average height and average build. She was pretty, Joey thought, with shocking short red hair and a few freckles. Her clothing was flashy and bright, unlike what Joey was used to seeing in Capeside. "Hi, I'm Joey Potter," Joey walked across the room and shook Emily's hand after the frat boys had left. "Are you from Massachusetts?" 
> 
> Emily threw open a box and began hanging clothing in the closet. "Yep, Boston actually. I just wanted to get out of the city. You know?" 
> 
> "Not really, I come from a small town. Capeside, have you ever heard of it?" 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Pacey pulled his black Honda Accord in to the first parking space he could find and turned off the ignition. He sat back in the seat and closed his eyes for a few seconds. As much as he hated to be back in Massachusetts, he was grateful that it wasn't Capeside. 
> 
> After all he should be pleased he wasn't attending some community college. UMASS at Amherst was his number two choice. He opened his eyes again and checked the housing assignment. He was in the Central Living area, parked in front of Brooks Hall. Now all he had to do was get his things up to room 201. 
> 
> "How am I going to manage this?" Pacey muttered to himself as he opened the trunk. He picked up as many of his things as he cold and closed the trunk again. 
> 
> Twenty minutes later Pacey was laying on the unmade bed in his new room, breathless. He stared at the ceiling until he had caught his breath and then set about unpacking all of his belongs. 
> 
> He was pulled a picture frame out of a box and placed it on his desk. It was him and Joey the summer before he left, they were sitting on her front porch laughing hysterically. He tried hard to remember what they were laughing at. 
> 
> ** 
> 
> _"Well how 'bout like sticking out your thumb, huh?" Pacey asked._
> 
> _Joey scowled "Oh yeah? And what else? Maybe hike up my skirt, pout my lips, strike some sexy pose for some horndog trucker? Stick out your on thumb you sexist toad."_
> 
> _"I am not a sexist, I am a pragmatist. OK? You ever seen 'A Sure Thing? That movie elegantly portrays one of life's simple truths-that a female standing on the side of a road, even one with a perpetual scowl like yourself, has a better chance of flagging down a car than a guy."_
> 
> _"Since I'm the only one here with an opposable thumb, I guess it's up to me to use it," she muttered turning towards the road._
> 
> _"And here's you chance," Pacey ran towards the bushes._
> 
> _Joey stuck out her thumb and waited for the school to slow down. "Hi."_
> 
> _"Today is your lucky day Miss Potter, need a ride back to school?" Mr. Green asked._
> 
> _"Thanks."_
> 
> _Pacey came running out of the bushes carrying leaves, "Oh! Principal Green. Whoo! Thank God you were here. In preparing for out botany assignment it appears Josephine and I wandered significantly farther away from the school than we had anticipated. Frankly, I was beginning to worry that we weren't going to make it back by nightfall._
> 
> _The principal chuckled. "That's a good one, Pacey."_
> 
> _"Yeah, well, you know, let it never be said that I'm lacking in the creativity department," Pacey replied as he grinned._
> 
> ** 
> 
> There was a knock at the open door, "Can I help you?" He regretted being pulled out of the daydream. 
> 
> "I'm Bryan Foster, your roommate," Bryan walked in to the room and set some of his things down. 
> 
> Pacey extended his hand, "Nice to meet you I'm Pacey Witter. I hope you don't mind I already chose a bed and everything." 
> 
> "No problem. Would you mind helping me carry my things up? My cars right out front." 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Joey was beginning to get settled in her new room. She and Emily were getting acquainted. 
> 
> "So are you going to go to the little party they've got planned for tonight?" Emily asked as she folded some clothes in to a drawer. 
> 
> Joey bit her lip as she considered it, "I'm not sure. I just want to be lazy to night." 
> 
> "Will you at least check it out with me? I don't know anyone here. I don't want to go alone, please?" Emily whined as she hopped on to Joey's bed. 
> 
> Joey sighed, "Fine." 
> 
> "Wonderful!" 
> 
> ** 
> 
> "Please tell me that you are not the bookworm type and that you'll go downstairs and check out this party with me?" Pacey said as he looked in to the mirror above his dresser. 
> 
> Bryan looked up from his computer, "Do you see any math awards on my desk? I'm so there, man. Just give me a minute to powder my nose." Pacey gave him a quizzical look. "Kidding! You _so_ have to get used to my sense of humor." Bryan laughed and left the room for a while. 
> 
> ** 
> 
> "Okay so we're not exactly raising the roof or anything here," Emily said unhappily as she sipped her drink. 
> 
> "The fact that you just used the term 'raising the roof' makes me think twice about you," Joey warned her. 
> 
> Emily giggled, her laughter was loud and infectious, "My littler brother says it all the time. Oh that's sad. I'm picking up slang from a fifteen year old." 
> 
> "My cup is empty, I'm gonna go get a refill. Do you want anything?" Joey asked. Emily shook her head, "Okay don't go anywhere," Joey said before making her way across the room. 
> 
> Joey had just filled her cup when she turned around and crashed in to someone, spilling the drink all over the stranger. "I'm so sorry I didn't realize." 
> 
> "No harm, no foul," Pacey said as he surveyed the damage to his t-shirt. 
> 
> Joey was filling up her cup again, "But you're soaking!" 
> 
> "I can go up and change in no time. Don't worry about it. What's your -," Pacey had finally looked at the face of the girl. "Joey?" 
> 
> "Pacey!" 
> 
> "What are you doing here?" They asked simultaneously. 
> 
> They replied in unison. "What does it look like?" 
> 
> Joey laughed, "I'm so sorry about your shirt." 
> 
> "Forget the shirt, I can't believe it's really you. It's so good to see you," Pacey told her as he opened his arms. 
> 
> "No offense Pacey, I'm all for hugging you but your soaked," Joey stepped back. 
> 
> "Oh right. Well it's your fault anyway. Come up stairs with me while I change. I can't wait to talk to you." 
> 
> Joey looked around the room, Emily was dancing with a number of boys. "Okay." 
> 
> ** 
> 
> "What happened Pacey, none of us have heard from you in almost a year!" Joey cried as she followed Pacey in to his room. 
> 
> "Hey as I recall communication is a two way street," Pacey pulled his wet t-shirt over his head and left it on the floor. He found a new one in his dresser and put it on. 
> 
> "I guess you're right. Sorry about that." Joey looked at him, "I missed you." 
> 
> "Same here." He smiled at her, "Can I have that hug now?" 
> 
> ** 
> 
> "What happened to you tonight?" Emily asked as she climbed under the covers I her bed. "The last time I saw you, you were going to get a drink but then you disappeared." 
> 
> "It's the strangest and the greatest thing. A friend of mine is here. I haven't seen him in a long time because he moved away a year and a half ago and we lost touch." 
> 
> Emily sat up, "Hold up, it's a he?" 
> 
> "Yes, his name is Pacey. We go way back." Joey saw the look on Emily's face. "No not like that. We never dated. We used to fight a lot when we were younger and before he moved away we started to be best friends. Then he left." 
> 
> "So this is good then. You guys get to pick up where you left off." 
> 
> "Basically. We're going to stick together tomorrow at the orientation as much as possible. Make up for lost time I guess." 
> 
> ** 
> 
> "Hey who was that brunette I saw you talking to before you vanished?" Bryan asked while he and Pacey stood in the men's room brushing their teeth. 
> 
> Pacey looked at Bryan in the mirror, "Brunette? Oh you mean Joey. It's the craziest thing, we went to high school together. But I moved to Maine about a year and a half ago so I haven't seen her since then and I haven't spoken to her in a long time either. We had no idea that we'd both be going here." 
> 
> "So are you glad that she's here then?" Bryan rinsed out the sink. 
> 
> "Of course I am. You ought to hang out with us tomorrow at orientation. You can get to know her."


	2. Only A Towel

It's A Small World After All

> Pacey turned around at his desk to see who was knocking on his door, "Oh hey Joey. Come on in." 
> 
> Joey tiptoed around all the clothing on the floor and sat down on Pacey's unmade bed, "I saw the door open on my way by. What are you up to tonight besides cleaning your room?" 
> 
> "You sound like my mom." He paused, "I was planning on doing some laundry after dinner. Want to join me? I've got some questions to ask you about the reading from Klappison's class anyway. We can study in the laundry room." 
> 
> "Sounds good. I'm going to eat dinner with Emily and then I'll come by. Okay?" 
> 
> "Deal," Pacey replied. Joey got up and left the room so Pacey turned back to his work.
> 
> ** 
> 
> "Do you know what this kind of reminds me of?" Joey asked as she sat on top of an empty washing machine. 
> 
> "I have no clue," Pacey told her as he dropped some change in to a vending machine and pressed the button for a Sprite. 
> 
> "Well the situations aren't very similar. Actually they're really different, completely unrelated. But this reminds me of the night we all studied at Chris Wolfe's house, for Mr. Peterson's midterm." 
> 
> "Whatever happened to Chris?" Pacey asked as he sat back down beside his books. 
> 
> Joey looked up to the ceiling as she tried to remember, "He graduated. I think he's at UMASS at Worcester actually. Surprising isn't it?" 
> 
> "Certainly not what I'd expect from him. But then again here I am attending university as well. Not where most of my teachers would picture me." 
> 
> **__
> 
> _Joey and Pacey sat on her porch swing, staring out at the creek. "So, my mom wants to leave in a few days. We're going to go and live with my aunt in Maine until she can find a job and a house."___
> 
> _"Pacey that's so soon!" Joey said quietly.___
> 
> _"I know. But my dad's gonna be out of the picture finally. I never thought mom would want to move away though." Pacey replied.___
> 
> _"I don't want you to leave," Joey muttered.___
> 
> _"Pardon?" Pacey asked.___
> 
> _She stared at the floor, "You can't leave Pacey. Not now."___
> 
> _"I don't want to go Joey but I really don't have a say in the matter."___
> 
> _"I guess not."___
> 
> _"I'll still come down to visit whenever I can."_
> 
> But he had never been back to Capeside.   

> 
> **   

> 
> "What happened to you in Maine Pacey?" Joey hadn't meant for her tone to be so serious. "No offense." 
> 
> "None taken." He waited a moment, "Well Joey. It's simple really. With my dad out of the picture and off my back, teachers that had no impression of my ability as a student and a chance to start over; I did just that. I got my act together. You do like the new me don't you?" 
> 
> "There's not that much different about you, Pace. Granted you look a little bit different. You don't wear ugly shirts anymore and you've changed your whole outlook on school. But other than that you're still thesame. Your sense of humor, your mannerisms, your habits, everything that I remember about you is still there." 
> 
> "That magic that is me, huh?" Pacey asked, a twinkle in his eye. 
> 
> Joey rolled her eyes, "See, still the same Pacey." 
> 
> "I might be the same, but you've certainly changed," Pacey stated as he got up to see if his clothes were dry. 
> 
> She hopped off of the washer; "I have not." 
> 
> "Yes you have," Pacey replied. "For starters, we've been here for five days and you haven't said 'bite me' at all. Second you're not bitter anymore and last but not least, the Joey that I left in Capeside never wore leopard print bras… Don't look so shocked I saw it on top of your laundry basket." 
> 
> "Really Pacey. If you miss it that much I can start telling you off again. The underwear was a gag gift from Jen, who else would be shameless enough to buy that stuff and give it as a present." 
> 
> Pacey began pulling clothing out of the dryer, "Still, two years ago you would have left it in the box and never touched it. But now you're using it." 
> 
> "Pacey you're reading too much in to things." 
> 
> "If you say so," Pacey began laughing.
> 
> "What?" Joey cried in frustration.__
> 
> _**_   
__ __
> 
> _"A blanket? You want me to change into that?" Joey asked loudly.___
> 
> _"Yeah," Pacey sighed. "Take off your wet clothes and wrap yourself in this blanket just like I'm going to do."___
> 
> _"Wait a minute you want me to get naked?" she scowled at him.___
> 
> _"Please this is not for my enjoyment it's so you don't get sick. But if you have your heart set on pneumonia, feel free."___
> 
> _"Fine."___
> 
> _"No peeking."___
> 
> _"Oh yeah," Joey growled. "The idea of seeing you in your birthday suit is really my idea of a thrill."_   

> 
> ** 
> 
> "I was just thinking about the snail project and you changing beside the truck." 
> 
> "You little shit," she yelled as she threw a pair of socks at his head. 
> 
> "Don't ever change Jo," Pacey said seriously as he looked at her. He wondered if she was thinking about what else happened that night, at her house when he had kissed her. 
> 
> "What are you talking about?" 
> 
> "I mean it, pinky swear that you won't ever change. Stay the way you are right now," Pacey spoke as he stuck out his right pinky finger. 
> 
> "I think you're crazy," Joey said as she hesitantly wrapped her pinky around his and wiggled it.
> 
> ** 
> 
> "Emily don't you think your outfit is a little much?" Joey asked as she closed the door to her and Emily's room. 
> 
> "Don't you mean not enough?" Emily giggled as she strutted down the hall in a short black silk nighty, a matching robe and high heels. 
> 
> Joey laughed, "Actually now that you mention it." Joey had chosen to wear just a pair of flannel pajama pants with blue and yellow stars on them, with a little white t-shirt and fuzzy yellow slippers. 
> 
> "Aren't you boys ready yet?" Emily asked in a sugary voice as she knocked on the door of room 301. The dorm was holding a pajama party in honour of the first week of school being over. 
> 
> The door opened to reveal Bryan in red thermal underwear, "Whoa, hello Emily! I see you got all dressed up." 
> 
> Pacey stepped out in to the hall, "Ready to go?" He was wearing hospital scrub pants and a while t-shirt. 
> 
> They stepped on to the elevator and rode down to the main floor together. The elevators doors moved apart and the four new friends stepped out in to the party. Joey recognized a few people from around school. Out of habit she headed for the refreshment table while Emily waved shortly and began dancing. Pacey and Bryan headed over to a group of girls. Joey sighed at the thought of being alone for the duration of the party. She surveyed her options; she could either find a comfortable spot on a couch to sit and observe everything or get her ass out on the dance floor and begin enjoying the college life. 
> 
> Taking the road less traveled, Joey stood timidly at the edge of the dance floor and surveyed the mass of bodies. She spotted Emily dancing closely with a boy she hadn't seen before. Pacey was on the other side trying to impress a number of girls and Bryan was in the middle of it all making a fool of himself. 
> 
> Joey took a deep breath and walked through everyone until she was beside Bryan. "Welcome to the floor Joey. I don't think I've seen you strut your stuff," Bryan teased her. 
> 
> Joey frowned, "Well I don't do this very often. I can always leave." 
> 
> "No, don't go just yet. Come on if you are bad, I'll let you know." 
> 
> "Trust me I can't be worse than you," she smiled as Bryan twirled her around once. Joey giggled and allowed herself to finally let loose. She danced along side Bryan for a few songs when Emily found her way to them. 
> 
> "Joey I am so proud of you!" Emily cried as she grabbed Joey's hands and started to dance with her friend. "Come on there are some boys that I'd like you to meet." 
> 
> "Really Emily I don't need any introductions. Just let me do this for a while, I'm having a good time," Joey tried to reassure her. 
> 
> "Next time then, you promise?" Emily asked. Joey nodded. "Okay I'll see you later." She turned away and found herself in the arms of a new boy. 
> 
> Joey smiled inwardly and began dancing again. But suddenly she felt hands on her waist and she gasped. "Oh Pacey!" she said as she whirled around and punched him in the arm. "You scared the crap out of me." 
> 
> "Oh just relax and keep dancing Jo." Pacey smirked at her, "Do you know how to grind?" 
> 
> "How to what?" 
> 
> He laughed, "Grind. Never mind. Ask Emily about it then. I need a drink, want to come with?" 
> 
> "Sure, whatever." Joey followed him over to the drinks and then to an empty couch. 
> 
> "Are you enjoying yourself?" Pacey asked after they had been quiet for awhile. 
> 
> "Of course I am. Aren't you?" 
> 
> "It's okay I guess. Not like the parties we used to have on the beach in Capeside. Speaking of Capeside, heard from Jen or Dawson?" 
> 
> "No, it's a little weird. But I'm sure they're both busy right now. 
> 
> Jen's in Paris as we speak drinking wine with some French guy I'll bet." 
> 
> "Dawson's probably been mugged four times already," Pacey said laughing even harder than when Joey had told him Dawson was in New York City. Pacey brushed off his knees, "Come on let's get back out there." 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Joey's head shot up as the shrill beeping of her alarm clock went off, alerting her that it was time to get out of bed. She pushed the button on the clock, grateful for the silence. She didn't want to wake up Emily since she didn't need to be up for another hour. Joey sighed heavily as she grabbed a towel and her toiletry kit off the floor and left the room. 
> 
> She wandered down to the end of the hallway, wincing at the lights in the hallway and entered the ladies' washroom. She was barely awake as she entered a shower stall and started washing up. Finally, Joey turned off the spray of water and stepped out of the shower. 
> 
> As she stood in front of one of the mirrors, brushing her teeth she thought carefully. She'd been through three weeks of University now and felt like a whole new person. She'd managed just fine on her own, even though technically she had plenty of people around her. She was a little upset that she hadn't heard from either Jen or Dawson yet but she figured they must be really busy settling in. 
> 
> "Oh well," Joey said to herself as she stepped out in to the hall wearing only a towel. Her clothes and things were in her arms. 
> 
> "Joey?" Pacey smiled at her. "Is Emily rubbing off on you or something?" 
> 
> "Morning to you too Pacey. It's only a towel, relax," she sidestepped around him and continued down the hallway to her room. 
> 
> Once she was gone, Pacey let out a low whistle, "Oh Joey I've certainly missed you."   



	3. Pinky Swear

It's A Small World After All

> "Did you know that it's Emily's birthday tomorrow?" Joey asked as she sat down in the empty seat beside Bryan, placing her lunch in front of her. It was now mid-November.
> 
> "We've got to celebrate then!" Pacey cried. "What would a drama girl like Em want to do though."
> 
> Bryan said immediately, "Strip club."
> 
> "No way!" Joey told them. "Why don't we just take her out to that club she keeps mentioning?"
> 
> "Dancing at a dorm party is one thing but at a club?" Bryan said skeptically.
> 
> "You don't have to dance," Joey reminded him.
> 
> Pacey spoke up, "Okay the club it is. Joey you take care of Emily. Just make sure she is available and let's keep our destination a secret."
> 
> **
> 
> "Where are we going tonight?" Emily asked as she and Joey sat in their room studying.
> 
> "No where special," Joey told her for the third time. "You'll enjoy it."
> 
> "How can I get dressed for it then if I have no idea where I'll be going?"
> 
> "I'm sure whatever you choose will be fine."
> 
> "Joey, don't be like that. Tell me where we are going," Emily whined.
> 
> Joey just laughed at her.
> 
> **
> 
> "Aren't any of you going to tell me what we're up to tonight?" Emily interrogated her friends as she climbed in to the back of Bryan's car. She had been very careful picking her clothing for the evening after watching to see what Joey was wearing. Emily had actually changed her clothes six times in the process of getting ready.
> 
> Joey smiled at Pacey and crawled in to the backseat beside Emily. Pacey couldn't help but steal a glance at Joey's long legs. She was wearing a short black skirt and a small gray sweater. He'd never seen her wear her hair pulled up either.
> 
> Pacey got in to the passenger seat and cranked up the volume on the stereo, alternative music spilled out of the speakers. Bryan started the car and they were on their way. Their first stop was a little diner; they got a table and ordered some dinner. Then at the end they ordered a cupcake with a candle for Emily and somehow managed to get everyone in the small diner to sing "Happy Birthday" to her.
> 
> After they had paid their bill they got back in to the car and blindfolded Emily on the way to the club. They pulled up and got in the line outside the door. They didn't take off her blindfold until they werenext in line.
> 
> "Where are we?" Emily asked quickly as she pulled the bandana off her face. "You guys! It's The G-Spot. Oh this rocks. Thanks a lot."
> 
> "Don't let me do anything silly tonight," Joey whispered to Pacey as they stood in line. She raised her pinky. Pacey shook it with his own.
> 
> **
> 
> Joey stepped around a couple making out feverishly at the bar and caught the bartender's eye. "Can I help you sweetie?" he asked.
> 
> She cringed at the word 'sweetie' but gave her order anyway, "A rum and Coke, and three rocky mountain bear fuckers please."
> 
> The bartender made the drinks and handed them to her on a little tray, "Six tickets."
> 
> Joey handed over the pink tickets and headed back towards the table to her friends. "Here we go," she said as she slid in to the semicircular booth beside Emily. "Bryan I don't know how you can drink Rum and Coke. It's disgusting."
> 
> "It's a man's drink," he replied.
> 
> Emily snorted with laughter, "My grandmother drinks it."
> 
> "I'd like to know where Joey heard of rocky mountain bear fuckers?"
> 
> Pacey asked as he looked at her intently.
> 
> "Some vacationer taught me how to make them a few years ago when I worked at the Ice House," she explained to him.
> 
> "Whatever, will it hurt going down?" Emily wondered.
> 
> "Just try it and see."
> 
> Emily took a sip, "It's like Kool-Aid!"
> 
> They finished their drinks at the table and watched the people in the club for a while. It was crowded with students like them.
> 
> "Okay," Bryan told them as he clapped his hands. "It's time to get busy." He hopped off the seat and strutted towards the dance floor.
> 
> **
> 
> Joey blinked as the beads of light from the disco ball spun around on everyone's faces. "This is pretty trippy huh?" she yelled to the guy she was dancing with.
> 
> "Yea, it's cool," he said as he rested his hands on her hips and moved quickly with the music. Joey turned her back to him and began grinding, Emily had taught her in the privacy of their dorm room. After a few more minutes of the song the DJ came on to the microphone announcing the next song.
> 
> Pacey glanced across the room and noticed Joey dancing. It was unusual. He was still getting used to how much she had changed, everyday she amazed him some how.
> 
> "I'm going to sit this one out. Thanks though," Joey said as she smiled at her temporary dance partner. He nodded and she walked towards the booth. She grabbed a ticket and went to the bar for a third drink, then back to the table.
> 
> "Emily is certainly in her glory here," Bryan remarked as he sat down beside Joey and glanced at Emily on the floor. She was dancing very closely with two guys, sandwiched in between them.
> 
> Joey laughed, "She lives for this shit."
> 
> "Hey guys. Enjoying yourselves?" Pacey asked as he took the spot beside Joey.
> 
> "Definitely," was Joey's reply.
> 
> "Can I get a dance from you later, Jo?" Pacey asked her. "I see you've learned how to grind."
> 
> "I'll see if I can fit you in on my dance card Pacey." She smiled at him, "I'll come find you, okay?"
> 
> "Alright," Pacey gulped his beer.
> 
> "I'm going to go see if I can steal one of Em's partners," Joey told them as she slid slowly over Pacey's lap and hopped out of the booth.
> 
> "I think it must be the alcohol in her because I have never seen Joey this bold before," Pacey told Bryan.
> 
> Bryan eyed him curiously, "That a complaint?"
> 
> "Hell no. It's a compliment!"
> 
> "Have you got something brewing for her man?" Bryan asked knowingly.
> 
> Pacey looked at his drink, "Ask me after I've had a few more of these and I'm feeling truthful."
> 
> **
> 
> Pacey had been sitting in the booth for ten minutes drinking another beer, watching Emily and Joey dance with different guys. Joey was acting truly unlike herself, maybe she had changed more than he thought while he'd been gone. Or maybe it was the alcohol that had made her lose her inhibitions.
> 
> "Pacey," Joey sang as she wiggled her finger at him. "It's time." She walked up to him, took his drink and set it on the table.
> 
> "For what?" he asked, knowing fully what she meant.
> 
> She put her hand around his wrist and attempted to pull him off the seat, "Our dance silly."
> 
> "Okay, okay. You're a slave driver. Let's go," he slipped his arm around her waist and they walked to the dance floor. As they started to dance Pacey couldn't help but watch her, she moved easily and emphatically.
> 
> Joey put her arms around Pacey's neck and smirked at him. "What?" he asked.
> 
> "Do you want to see me grind now?" she whispered in his ear.
> 
> Pacey shivered slightly as he felt her lips brush ever so gently across his ear lobe. Joey didn't bother to wait for a response. She turned around slowly, still swaying her hips to the music she moved her hands behind her until they rested on Pacey's neck; his were on her hips. Then she began; moving her hips side to side in time with Pacey's as they went lower and lower. Pacey couldn't help but notice how deliberate her movements were. He could barely comprehend that it was Joey Potter from down the creek dancing so closely with him.
> 
> When they had finished Joey turned around to face Pacey again but continued to dance. "So that's how you grind," Pacey remarked. He had been silent up until then.
> 
> "Yup," she replied simply.
> 
> "I'm impressed."
> 
> "Thanks for the dance Pace," Joey said as the music died down and she went to find Emily.
> 
> "Oh man," he sighed. "I need a drink!"
> 
> **
> 
> "So?" Bryan asked, he had caught up to Pacey at the bar.
> 
> "So?" Pacey asked, misunderstanding.
> 
> Bryan leaned against the counter, "Well I'm assuming you've had a few more beers. You can answer my question truthfully."
> 
> Pacey stared at him blankly.
> 
> "Have you got something brewing for Joey?" Bryan asked for the second time that night.   



	4. Dawson Would Hate It

It's A Small World After All

> "To be completely honest," Pacey began. "I think I just might."
> 
> "I can predict this stuff I swear," Bryan cried. "What are you going to do about it?"
> 
> "I'm not sure. Before school, we hadn't seen each other in over a year. It's like we're just sort of adjusting to things again. I don't want to push the envelope any further."
> 
> "I understand. But this can certainly make things awkward."
> 
> Pacey sighed, "Don't you think I haven't told myself that a million times already?" Pacey swung his hand around for emphasis.
> 
> "Just be careful is all I'm saying."
> 
> **
> 
> "Watch your head Jo," Pacey said gently as he help an intoxicated Joey in to the backseat. He pushed the seat back and sat down.
> 
> "Man they're ripped," Bryan said as he started the engine.
> 
> "If either of you puke in my car I'm never driving anywhere again."
> 
> Joey mumbled incoherently and rested her head on the window. Bryan pulled the car out of the space and in to the street. He drove carefully back to the campus and parked his car near their dorm.
> 
> "I'll get Joey," Pacey said as he got out of the car. He pushed the front seat forward and undid Joey's seatbelt. "Jo, we're home."
> 
> "Hold on," she told him. She looked around and grabbed Pacey's arm, allowing him to help her out of the car. "Thanks Pacey." She staggered across the parking lot with his help and they went inside.
> 
> **
> 
> Pacey knocked lightly on the door of room 212. Joey and Emily were inside probably hung over very badly, "Girls?"
> 
> "Open," Joey moaned.
> 
> Pacey slid the door open carefully and stepped inside, "I've got orange juice," he said quietly as he sat on the edge of Joey's bed. "How do you feel?"
> 
> "Like I ate tar," Joey spat. "Pace can you close the blinds?" He did as she asked. "Thanks. I feel like a drowned rat."
> 
> "You look like one."
> 
> "Shut up."
> 
> "How's the birthday girl?"
> 
> "I wouldn't know, she hasn't woken up yet."
> 
> "Want me to get out of your hair?"
> 
> Joey sighed, "I wouldn't mind. Sorry."
> 
> "It's no problem. I've got some work to do at the library. I'll see you later."
> 
> She mumbled a goodbye in to her pillow as he left.
> 
> **
> 
> "Where's Emily tonight?" Pacey asked as he walked in to Joey's room and stretched out on Emily's bed.
> 
> Joey was typing furiously at her computer, "She went home for the weekend." "Bryan did too." He paused, "It's really quiet around here."
> 
> "Everyone's gone home for Thanksgiving. Want to get dinner at Hillary's and catch a late show?" Joey asked as she turned off the computer. "My assignment is all done."
> 
> "Sounds like a plan, grab your stuff we'lL stop at my room so I can get some money."
> 
> **
> 
> "Are you going home this weekend for Thanksgiving?" Joey asked as they drove away from the campus.
> 
> "Nope, my mom's going on some holiday cruise with her boyfriend so I'm just going to stick around campus," he said as he glanced at the traffic.
> 
> "You can't stay at the dorms on Thanksgiving weekend Pacey!"
> 
> "I won't be alone Joey. I know some people that aren't leaving and there's going to be a dinner for us."
> 
> "You can come home with me. Bessie would love to see you."
> 
> Pacey sighed, "I don't know. I don't really want to risk running in to my dad or Deputy Doug. No offense but I finally got out of Capeside I'm not going to jump at the chance to go back there."
> 
> "That's a good point. I want out of that town as much as the next person, but still that's where my family is." Joey smiled, "It's an open invitation. If you change your mind just hop in the car and come down."
> 
> "I'll keep it in mind," Pacey told her quietly as he stopped at a stoplight. He parked the car in front of Hillary's, one of their favourite bars and they went inside.
> 
> **
> 
> Joey munched on a fry while she looked at the movie listings in the Newspaper. Pacey had his eyes glued to the television. "Brad Pitt's new movie is getting good reviews," she said loudly to get Pacey's attention.
> 
> "I'm not going to see any chick flicks," Pacey gulped down some beer and turned towards Joey."
> 
> She looked across the booth at him, "Oh come on Pacey it has a sex scene, you'll like it."
> 
> "Really?" he perked up.
> 
> "No," she giggled. "How does the new Will Smith flick sound?"
> 
> "Perfect, Dawson would hate it."
> 
> **
> 
> Joey and Pacey sat in their seats laughing loudly as they threw popcorn at each other. The sprinkling of other people in the theatre shushed them again and they laughed even louder. Joey had had a little too much to drink at Hillary's and now her good mood was rubbing off on Pacey.
> 
> A man shouted at them to leave and Pacey stood up. "Fine the movie's crap anyway. The crooked cop did it," the moviegoers groaned now that they knew how the movie ended. "Come on Jo let's get out of here."
> 
> Joey got out of her seat and stumbled after Pacey. He opened the exit door beside the movie screen quickly and they stepped outside.
> 
> Joey shrieked with laughter as they noticed that it was pouring rain. Pacey sighed and turned around to see that the door had already closed behind them. Joey raised her arms up and spun around a few times before she lost her balance.   



	5. Stay Here Tonight

It's A Small World After All

> Pacey found himself in a position that until that moment he'd only been able to dream about. He'd laughed as Joey had spun around beneath the raindrops but lunged to catch her when she had lost her balance. Now he was standing with his arms around Joey Potter's waist… in an alley… in the pouring rain.
> 
> Joey laughed even harder and leaned back as far as she could, allowing rain to fall in her mouth. Pacey pulled her back up towards him. She caughthis eye. "Pacey."
> 
> It happened so quickly. One minute she was drinking rain the next minute her lips were on his. The way she had looked at him so intently. The way she had breathed his name, rather than said it. The way she looked as raindrops soaked her hair. Pacey wanted that kiss so badly. He needed it to stop even more.
> 
> "Joey. We can't do this right now. You're not thinking straight."
> 
> "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do," she said angrily before she kissed him again. "I know what I'm doing."
> 
> "Joey --."
> 
> She silenced him, "Let's go home Pacey, we're getting soaked."
> 
> ***
> 
> Pacey leaned against the wall of the elevator, tipped his head back and closed his eyes. He was waiting for Joey to press the button for the third floor. She was humming quietly as she searched the panel.
> 
> He heard the doors close and felt them being moved upward. He could barely comprehend what had happened in the previous 15 minutes. From the moment they left the alley Joey hadn't said a word. During the car ride home she had stared out the passenger side window quietly and hummed to herself. It was driving him crazy because he couldn't recognize the song.
> 
> When he had tried to help her up the steps to the dorm she had refused him with out a word and made it to the doors on her own.
> 
> Now in the elevator Pacey sensed her standing beside him. "Joey --," he began again, he needed to figure out what was happening.
> 
> She put her hand over his mouth and repeated the same words as before, "I know what I'm doing." She sounded as though she was trying to reassure herself as well as Pacey.
> 
> The doors opened and they stepped off the elevator. Joey glanced down the hall where her room was and then in the opposite direction towards Pacey's, as though she was judging the distance. "Let's go to your room," she began walking.
> 
> "Joey hold on a second. We need to talk."
> 
> "About what?" she asked quietly as she leaned against the wall beside Pacey's door.
> 
> "About what happened back in the alley," he said not making any efforts to open the door.
> 
> "Oh that," Joey closed her eyes as though she was deep in thought. "Can we please go inside Pacey I'm freezing."
> 
> He was suddenly aware of how uncomfortable he was in his wet clothes.
> 
> He fished out his keys and unlocked the door. Joey walked in and closed the door behind her. She crossed the room and slumped on to Pacey's desk chair.
> 
> Pacey went in to auto-pilot. He handed Joey a pair of sweatpants and a large sweatshirt. Then he grabbed his hospital pants and another sweatshirt and left the room. He changed in the men's' room; half because he figured that Joey wouldn't make it to the ladies' and because he needed to splash some cold water on his face in hopes that it would bring him back to life.
> 
> Pacey stared at himself in one of the mirrors. "Oh God don't let me regret this in the morning." He looked like death warmed over. When had everything changed so suddenly? How? What did the kiss in the alley mean? Sure Joey was drunk, but she said she knew what she was doing. "I need a drink," he told his reflection.
> 
> He jogged down the hall back to his room. Joey's wet clothes were in a pile on the floor. She was sitting on the chair again waiting for him, now dressed in the dry sweats he had given her. Pacey didn't say anything, instead he opened the mini fridge beside Bryan's bed and took out a beer.
> 
> Joey stayed at her place beside the desk and watched as Pacey downed the beer in record time. "You'll make yourself sick."
> 
> "Well I'd rather be drunk than sober right now."
> 
> "What is the matter? So I kissed you!"
> 
> "That's right, you kissed me."
> 
> Joey stood up quickly, "Give me that," she said as she took the can of beer from Pacey and took a swig. "It's not the end of the world."
> 
> "But it could've been. That can seriously mess things up right now." He angrily opened another can, "What are we Joey?"
> 
> "I don't understand the question."
> 
> "Friends don't kiss, not the way we kissed."
> 
> "Do you regret it?" Pacey was unable to answer her. She asked him again, "Do you regret it?"
> 
> "I don't think it was the right time. You're drunk --."
> 
> "We've already established that but I still know what's happening to me Pacey." She stomped her foot, "Answer my question. Do you regret it?"
> 
> He gulped down another can of beer. "NO!" he shouted.
> 
> "Thank you!" Joey stepped towards him and kissed him again hard on the mouth. Pacey was taken by surprise and was barely able to respond.
> 
> "Stay here tonight," Pacey said breathily as he broke the kiss.
> 
> "We can't--."
> 
> "No, not that. You can take Bryan's bed if you want. Just don't leave this room."   



	6. Damn

It's A Small World After All

> Joey literally shrank in to her seat on the train. She felt about three feet tall. She regretted painfully the last 24 hours. 
> 
> She looked a mess. She had just barely showered and packed in her rush to leave the campus. She was hungover, exhausted and she was an emotionalbasket case. She had run away from the campus with her tail between her legs. Well, actually driven and it hadn't helped at all that the cab driver had asked if she was all right four times. 
> 
> Joey had gotten out of the taxi and run frantically to the ticket boothin the train station. She wanted to leave on the next train, she needed to get away from Amherst and Pacey as quickly as possible. 
> 
> Now that she was sitting comfortably in her seat she took a few deep breaths and concentrated on putting her bag underneath her seat. She shruggedout of her navy blue jacket and placed it gently on the seat beside her. 
> 
> Joey stared blankly out the window and waited anxiously for the train to pull out of the station. She just kept on reliving the moments over and over. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> Pacey rolled over slowly and opened his eyes. His heart fell. Joey wasn't there. 
> 
> Only an hour ago he'd awaken in the same bed and she had been in his arms. He had inhaled her perfume, smiled to himself and fallen back to sleep perfectly content. 
> 
> Now the whole room seemed empty. Pacey frowned, Joey must have left already for the train station. He wasn't about to go running after her. Not after she had left like that, with out saying goodbye. He prayed that she wasn't angry, that she wasn't regretting it right at that moment. He balled up his fist and punched the mattress. "Damn." 
> 
> *** 
> 
> Joey sat on the bench outside the Capeside train station waiting for Bessie's familiar truck to pull up. She hadn't realized how homesick she was until she was actually back in Capeside. Finally Bessie's pickup pulledin front of the station. 
> 
> Bessie ran up the steps and enveloped Joey in her arms. "I've missed you so much." Joey hugged her sister back even harder. "You look like shit Jo, are you okay?" Bessie said bluntly as she stepped back to look at her sister. 
> 
> Leave it to Bessie to tell it like it is. "I'm just tired. Let's go home I'm starving." Bessie noted the indirect answer and decided to save it for later. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> Pacey finally pulled himself out of bed, eleven Thursday morning. He picked up his kit and a towel and walked slowly towards the bathrooms. He hesitated slightly and turned the other way and walked to Joey and Emily'sroom. He looked at the door for a few minutes. The notepad had only Emily'sluxurious handwriting, 'Be back in a few days. Have a Happy Turkey day y'all.' 
> 
> He frowned and knocked hopefully on the door. No answer. So she did leave with out saying anything. Pacey slammed his fist against the door and turned around. He went back to his original destinations, the bathroom. 
> 
> Awake, shaved and showered Pacey walked back to his room and changed. 
> 
> Standing in the empty room he looked around at the mess and decided to finally clean up. He turned on the stereo and set about putting away all of his and Bryan's clothes. He laughed at himself, "I must be desperate if I'm cleaning." 
> 
> *** 
> 
> Bessie was sitting on the couch and sighed as she watched Joey frown for the fourth time in fifteen minutes. "That's it Josephine, we're going to have a talk! Something is wrong with you and I'm not going to put it on the back burner any longer." 
> 
> Joey looked up, startled at her sister's outburst. "There's nothing wrong with me." 
> 
> "You already dodged this subject at the train station but I'm not going to drop it this time. Get your ass off that chair and put your jacket on. We're going outside to talk and that's final. We've got the whole weekend Jo. We might as well get this over with now." 
> 
> Joey relented knowing how unpleasant her sister could be when she was kept in the dark and got her jacket. She followed her sister out the door and on to the back porch. Bessie ordered her to sit on the swing. "I want to know exactly what is going on with you. No bull," Bessie said firmly. 
> 
> Joey looked at the lawn, the creek, the trees, anything but Bessie. "Something happened yesterday between Pacey and I." 
> 
> "I'm not a mind reader. What happened?" 
> 
> "Well we went out for dinner at this place we like and then to a movie.But I'd had a few drinks and we got tired of the movie. So we went out the door and it was raining and in a completely unplanned, unexpected moment.I kissed him." 
> 
> "Go on," Bessie prodded her, unfazed by the earth shattering news. 
> 
> "It was just one kiss. But then we went home and we got in to a fight about it. It was silly, but Pacey was shaken up by it I guess. It's all slightly blurry. We made up pretty quickly, since I kissed him again. ThenI slept with him." 
> 
> "What?" Bessie cried. "Josephine!" 
> 
> Joey finally met her sisters eyes, "Geez Bessie you know me. We just shared his bed. That's all."   
"Granted that this is sort of an unusual situation what has you looking so scared?" 
> 
> Joey sighed quietly, "I left this morning without a word." 
> 
> "Jo you didn't." 
> 
> "I didn't know what else to do." Joey's face crumpled, "I woke up in Pacey's room, in Pacey's bed, in Pacey's arms! I was confused, I couldn't remember everything straight. So I panicked. I ran for dear life. I was so worried that he would wake up and catch me leaving him. I didn't know what to say to him. I couldn't handle being face to face with him." 
> 
> "You didn't even say good bye, no note or anything?" 
> 
> "Nothing. At that point I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I wasn't really thinking about damage control." 
> 
> "Explain to me why this is such a big problem. You like him right?" Bessie asked abruptly. 
> 
> Joey put her head in her hands. "Oh Bess I haven't got a clue. I haven't thought about Pacey that way in two years. It was torture letting him go. I'm not sure I ever got over it. Now is not the time to be opening old wounds and starting to like him again." 
> 
> "I don't know what to tell you honey. Sometimes when you're drunk off your ass you do things you regret. But sometimes you do those things becauseyou don't have the courage to do them sober. It's the difference between making out with some stranger at a club or spilling your guts to your lifelong crush." Bessie got up and walked towards the door, "Think about it." 
> 
> Joey leaned her head back against the side of the house, "I'm so sick of thinking. Now I know what Dawson must've felt like all those years."   



	7. Kicked In The Stomach

It's A Small World After All

> Joey climbed on to the train to go back to Boston, she felt the same as she had Thursday morning. Now it was Monday afternoon and she was dreading having to return to school, to classes and to the inevitably uncomfortable confrontation with Pacey. Now she just had to sit back and hope that she could get in to her dorm room and stay there with out him noticing her arrival. In a perfect world she wouldn't have to face him until class. 
> 
> Her whole weekend had been miserable, because she knew what was waiting for her back in Boston. She'd have to have a talk, and not just any talk, with Pacey about what she had done and said before she left for Capeside. Joey supposed she had been lucky that he hadn't hopped in his car to come and see her. 
> 
> Joey concentrated on methods of avoiding Pacey. It wouldn't be easy considering they lived on the same floor and that they had two classes together. What could she possibly say to him to explain how she had acted? 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Pacey couldn't concentrate on anything but the clock. Sensible Joey wasn't home yet, but knowing her she'd be home pretty soon. He'd been waiting angrily at first, but now he was anxious to see Joey's face and to speak to her. He racked hi brain for the right words to greet her. Should he speak to her at all? 
> 
> Pacey glanced in to the hall through the open door, Bryan was sitting in the hall reading a textbook, but there was no sign of Joey. Holly would likely show up late that night, she had mentioned something about catching a ride with her cousin. His patience was running out. 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Joey scowled as she stepped on to the platform and began walking through the station. It was time to face the music. As she made her way out side and glanced around for a cab she noticed something and nearly dropped her bag. 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Pacey stood leaning against his car, watching the doors of the station searching for Joey's face. When he finally noticed her he instantly lost all the anger that he had been holding on to so tightly that weekend. She was gorgeous as always. Then he caught her eye and her face crumbled in shock and dismay. 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Knowing that Pacey had seen her and that it would only make things worse to dodge him now. Joey sighed heavily and walked towards Pacey. 
> 
> "Hey, how was good old Capeside?" Pacey asked as Joey approached him. 
> 
> "The usual… I didn't really leave the house. Bodie cooked a nice meal though," Joey replied awkwardly. 
> 
> "Want a ride?" 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Driving back to Amherst Joey stared out at the road and wished that Pacey wouldn't bring up their last night together. The two of them had been silent since the minute Pacey started the engine. Joey hoped that the deafening quiet wasn't foreshadowing what the next few days would be like. 
> 
> "Listen about the other night," Pacey finally said, the stillness in the car had been killing him. 
> 
> Joey interrupted him and blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Can we just forget all about that and blame it on the booze. I was so embarrassed when I woke up." 
> 
> Pacey felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach, Joey certainly hadn't given the reply he'd been waiting for. He plastered a blank look on his face and did his best impression of normal, "Sounds good to me… So Bodie cooked up a storm?" 
> 
> ** 
> 
> "You swear that's the whole story?" Emily demanded as she stared at Joey in amazement. They were sitting in a coffee shop near the campus. 
> 
> Joey scowled, signaling for Emily to lower her voice, "That's exactly what happened. But now Pacey is acting all weird around me. I swear he's avoiding me, I thought it would be the other way around. But I've been back for four days and he hasn't said more than three sentences to me." 
> 
> "Well maybe he's offended or something. Maybe he got the wrong idea from your little night of passion, excuse me alcohol-induced game of spin-the-bottle, so he's suffered a blow to his ego and now he's just licking his wounds." 
> 
> "But what if that's not the case?" 
> 
> "What else could it be?" Holly said over her coffee cup. 
> 
> Joey fiddled with her cup, "What if he liked it and now he's angry that I want to forget about it?" 
> 
> "Are you sure that it's not you that feels that way? Joey if you seriously wanted to chalk it up to being trashed you wouldn't be obsessing about it like this. Granted you got loaded and kissed Pacey a few times and slept in his bed. And yea you two are really good friends but you already explained it to Pacey. If it really was just about drinking too much and losing control then Pacey would be sitting here with us right now and you guys would be teasing each other about being bad kissers." Joey smirked a little at the last remark. "Joey? Is Pacey a good kisser? Now that I think about it, you did leave out a few details about quality." 
> 
> "I think your little insights are all backwards." 
> 
> "I think I'm right and someone is in denial. But I'll back burner it for the time being. You haven't answered my question? How well does Pacey kiss?" 
> 
> Joey blushed, "You know I don't remember." 
> 
> "Don't bother, you might be lying but your face isn't." Holly got up from the table, "Anyway I can't sit here any longer trying to bring you out of the closet. I've got a class. I'll see you at dinner." Holly giggled as she walked away she loved to see Joey squirm. 
> 
> "Think she's so smart," Joey mumbled. 
> 
> ** 
> 
> Pacey walked down the hall towards his room, another day over. He didn't know what to think before. Joey wanted to dismiss everything and he couldn't stop thinking about it, or her for that matter. He didn't know how to deal with it so he decided not to deal, he'd been avoiding Joey for a week now and it had been hell. 
> 
> The hardest part was wanting to speak to her so badly but not knowing what to say, being afraid to say anything at all. Pacey hated the way things had turned out. But he had to admit it was his own fault. Joey hadn't spoken to him too much but he really hadn't given her the chance. She hadn't tried to speak to him, or called him on his hiding from her. 
> 
> "This sucks," he said gently under his breath. He pulled out his keys and sighed at the thought of another night alone in his room while Joey was just down the hall. The lock clicked and Pacey pushed the door open with his backpack. 
> 
> Which he proceeded to drop on his foot when he saw who was in the room.   



	8. Two Kids, Not Four

It's A Small World After All "Hi." 

"Uh hey," Pacey replied uneasily as he bent down to pick up his back pack. "How'd you get in?" 

"Bryan let me in as he was leaving. He's got a date or something like that." 

"Okay," Pacey closed the door behind him carefully. "What's up?" 

"You've been avoiding me or maybe you haven't but I wanted to talk to you and see what was up. I haven't been able to get you alone lately so this seemed like the best way," Joey was talking nervously. "Sorry if this feels like an ambush or something." 

"Well I definitely wasn't expecting you." 

"Are you busy?" 

Pacey held up the pizza box he had been balancing along with his books, "I was just about to eat this. I guess you could join me." 

They ate in silence on the floor for a few minutes before Pacey broke the ice, "So you're right." 

"About?" 

"I've been avoiding you." 

"Is it because of what happened at Thanksgiving?" 

"You could say that. I just didn't know what to think about all of it Jo." He picked up another piece of pizza. "I know that you tried to explain it and you think it's cause we were drunk. But frankly I think that it goes deeper than that." 

"That's what Holly thinks," Joey told him as she got up off the floor she walked to Pacey's desk and looked at the pictures carefully arranged. 

"What do you think about it? Holly's opinion doesn't really factor in here." 

Joey picked a picture frame up off of the shelf, she was stalling because she didn't quite know her answer yet. "I remember this like it was yesterday," she told him quietly. Pacey didn't reply he was waiting for her to answer his question. She stared even harder at the picture. It was of Pacey and her sitting at a picnic table at his goodbye party. "I'm surprised I was even able to smile for this picture," she said gently. 

"You had a good time that day. I should know I was there." He'd ask her again later. 

"Pacey I was wreck!" she cried. 

** 

_Pacey leaned against the side of the car as Joey stood in front of him biting back tears. "I looked all over Joey I couldn't find a suitcase big enough to hide you." He was about to leave Capeside for good.___

_She managed a small giggle but her face turned solid again, "You can't leave Pacey."___

_"I don't want to."___

_"But you have to," she said sadly. They had repeated the words over and over in the last few days.___

_"We'll still talk. Pinky swear."___

_Joey wiggled his pinky. "What am I going to do without you?" Joey whispered.___

_Pacey tipped up her chin, "What about me?" He wrapped his arms around her. "You think I'll meet anyone like you in Maine. I doubt it."___

_"I'm gonna miss you," her voice cracked.___

_"I'll miss you too," he felt her tighten her grip on his shirt. "Bye Jo."___

_She inhaled lightly, a mixture of soap, fabric softener, cologne and something unidentifiable. It was her favourite smell in the whole world, distinctly Pacey. "Bye Pacey." Those two words were the most pitiful noises he had ever heard._

** 

Pacey looked at her blankly. "I would have cut off my legs if it meant that you would've stayed in Capeside," she put the picture frame back on the shelf. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"I didn't want you to go. You were, are my best friend. I nearly fell apart when you left. I wanted to get out of Capeside so badly. The only thing that made that town bearable was the fact that you were there. I'd already lost most of the friendship I had with Dawson and then we got so close that summer. You were all that mattered to me then." She stopped abruptly, embarrassed at having said so much. 

"Joey it was hard for me to leave too. Do you have any idea how many I times I almost stayed with my dad? Or how close I came to staying with Dawson until graduation. I'd never wanted to do anything but leave that place and then I got a chance and I nearly gave it up because I wanted to stay with you. But I had to go because my mom needed me." 

Joey replaced the picture on the shelf and faced Pacey, "How do you think things would've turned out if you hadn't left?" 

"The honest truth?" Joey nodded. "Well I finally would've gotten around to telling you I loved you. We'd be disgustingly happy and have four kids, the dog, the minivan and the sports car." 

"Four kids!" 

"Drew, Hannah, Morgan and Pacey junior." 

"You even had the names?" 

"Well yea and the dog Oompa Loompa," Pacey laughed. The serious mood in the room had been lifted a little. "What about you, what would've happened?" 

Joey blushed slightly, "I didn't really dwell on it all that much. But we had two kids not four." 

"That wasn't so hard now was it?"   



	9. Kiss Me Smart Ass ~ The End

It's A Small World After All

"Okay, enough of memory lane. You didn't answer me, I want to know if you think that Holly is right about any of this?" Pacey repeated himself. 

That was just like Pacey. Veering away from the incredibly uncomfortable topics just long enough to make you think he'd forgotten and then he's spring the same awkward question at you. Joey glanced at the floor, "I'm not sure right now Pacey. She may not be but I don't think I could rule it out either." 

"That's exactly how I feel." 

"So now what? Joey asked as she sat back down and leaned against Pacey's bed. 

Pacey sighed, "We wait until we can rule out some of the possibilities." 

"Possibilities?" Joey asked skeptically. 

"Number one; we let things stay the way they were and pretend the last two weeks didn't just happen," Pacey said in a monotone voice trying to disguise the fact that he hated his number one." 

"And number two?" Joey questioned him. 

Pacey shifted uncomfortably," Number two; we don't necessarily deny that the last two weeks actually did happen but we go on with our lives and let nature take its course. Whatever happens, happens." 

"These sound more like options to me Pacey." 

"Whatever, option number three; we can be completely honest with each other, abandon all logical thinking, admit that there's something going on here and do whatever we feel like doing." 

"Oh." 

"So what do you think of your possibilities, excuse me, options." 

"What do you think of them, Pacey?" 

"I think, Josephine, that you keep dodging my questions." 

"Hey, you seem to be forgetting that you avoided me all week. It's my turn now. I came here didn't I, you go first for once!" Joey kicked him lightly in the foot for emphasis. 

"Frankly you're just chicken." 

"You haven't answered yet so that makes you a coward as well." 

Pacey laughed, "We're both acting like eight year olds." 

"Then lets settle this like eight year olds. On the count of three we'll both say which option we like. Agreed?" Joey's voice shook a little. What if Pacey didn't agree? Or even worse what if he said the wrong number. 

"Agreed." 

They counted in unison, "One, two, three." 

Joey inhaled deeply and said quietly, "Four." Pacey hadn't said anything. "Pacey! You jack ass," she cried and punched him as hard as she could in the shoulder. She was blushing slightly. 

"I'm sorry but I had to see the look on your face when I didn't say anything," he laughed, smiling the same incredible smile as always. 

"I'm going to kill you Pacey," Joey said too embarrassed to remember that Pacey hadn't answered. She got up off the floor and lunged at him. He was faster though and he backed away. Finally Joey got a hold of him and began pinching his arms and managed to knock him on to the bed. She was sitting on top of him, pinning his arms over his head. "You're such a little shit disturber Pacey." 

"Joey that actually kind of hurts." 

"Good. It's going to get worse if you don't say your option," she said as she jabbed him once in the ribs with her elbow. 

"Alright, alright." Pacey smiled a little and then all of the sudden he lifted his head off the bed and kissed Joey. She was take by surprise for a moment before she returned the kiss. They broke apart for a second, "Translated that means 'four' in Witter sign language." 

"Shut up and kiss me smart ass." 

THE END   
  
** 

Author's Note:   
This is the end, the last part. It's possibly the cheesiest shit I've ever written and I don't really like it. But I have a bad habbit of starting a story, getting excited about it and then totally neglecing it because I start a brand new one and spend all my time on it.   
So this part is my halfassed attempt at finishing "It's A Small World After All" so that I could move on and focus on other things. So anyways I hope you enjoyed this whole fic, and that you're kind enough to review it and check out my other works of ... yea right... my other stories.   
Thanks ~ Krista 


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